Always and Forever
by Khaleesi1998
Summary: Klaus intends to break the curse once and for all and Caroline intends to be there for him every step of the way... Rated M for language, lemons (weak lemons I'm afraid, I'm no good at writing them) and possible violence (I'm not sure yet :/ anything could happen, I guess). Reviews are thoroughly enjoyed, both positive and negative :) Warning inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning**

Hey there I hope you enjoy reading my version of the Klaroline relationship! Just a heads up though: in my story Caroline and Klaus have been together since they were around sixteen years old. They have _always _been together; and in my opinion after one thousand years together, sex with the same person can get a bit old. In my story Caroline and Klaus love each other more than anything in the world, completely and utterly. Caroline and Klaus will have sex with other people though (Caroline will also sleep with women, if you're into that sort of thing). This isn't a skipping off into the sunset hand in hand kind of love. They are completely and utterly devoted to one another and will never love another person. They have complete trust. This story is not for people who don't like that kind of Klaroline love. One thousand years is a long time. This is a more mature, adult and different kind of love. I know some people have complained about this and I'm sorry, I really should have put a warning up. I am really, really sorry Thank you for telling me that this could have been a problem

That being said, I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it

I own nothing (though I wish I owned Joseph Morgan)

Nik studied the apartment with apparent distaste. Humans lack in décor had always baffled him yet this appeared to be a new low.

Standing at the front door he saw a bland living room with one brown sofa in the middle of the room facing a coffee table that sat in front of an old TV, three chipped desks lined against the left wall filled with various artifacts, and a couple of dark brown cabinets sat against the right wall. The kitchen joined onto the living room but Nik could hardly call it a kitchen. It was a tight little corner with a small oven, a microwave, and one small work surface with a cabinet above it. The refrigerator was nothing more than a little box sat by the oven. The kind young girls had in their rooms to store their pop and various other drinks during a sleepover. A plain brown door stood at the back which led to the bedroom and a small bathroom; both as equally bland as the front room.

How very human.

Nik's grey eyes took in every inch of the space, filing it all away for later use. It wasn't the apartment he really wanted anyway. The inhabitants, however, was much more interesting. Said inhabitants should be in the middle of teaching at Mystic Falls High, according to Maddox, so Nik knew he had time.

Strolling forward and sitting on the sofa, Nik heard Greta walk up the stairs of the building, a large heavy thumping in tow. Everything seemed to be falling into place too easily. The doppelganger's mother had Katerina wrapped around her finger who was desperately searching for the moonstone and willing to hand over her descendant at the tip of a hat if it means she's pardoned.

So selfish! It was as if family meant nothing to her. Nik smirked. Not that she had many left.

Struggling with the weight of the coffin, Greta came through the door. 'Here it is.'

Nik whipped the coffin from her hands and placed in the center of the room where the sofa had just sat. That piece of furniture was now propped against the desks on the left.

The coffin was more of a large metal rectangular box. It would keep his precious body safe while he inhabited the history teacher. It was a sacrifice but a necessary one being that it was the easiest and most efficient way to watch the doppelganger.

Nik nodded at Greta and she took her leave, most likely to go keep watch on the wench Katerina. Nik then turned his back on the open door and studied the apartment once again. His mind, however, was far away.

_The music was delightful and rich; it filled the hall with song as men and women dressed in finery danced to its smooth, lively beats. A great table lay across the back wall, overflowing with the finest food that could be provided. The year was 1491 and England was beautiful. It was a long while before the harsh hands of man truly destroyed this Earth so there were still luxuriant and splendid views to be held as far as the eye could see._

_The hour was late and the party was in full swing. Couples waltzed happily around the room, beaming at each other in sickly love._

_Nik strolled through the show, eyes moving but taking in nothing. Nothing in this room held any interest to him. Half the women were whores and half the men were ponce know-it-alls. As they twirled gracefully towards him, Nik caught sight of his baby sister and older brother waltzing with the rest of the humans. They enjoyed these nights just as much as he did but tried to make the best of it. Elijah always had a soft spot for dancing. _

_Suddenly a sliver of whispering erupted across the brightly colored room and Nik turned to see the cause of the silent commotion. _

_It was then that he saw her. Of course it was her. It was always her. The woman that everyone noticed; the woman young girls wanted to be; the woman all men fawned over. This stunningly beautiful angel. __**His **__woman. Catching sight of him from across the room, she sent Nik a gorgeous smirk. She knew what she did to these pathetic humans. She heard the hushed mutters of jealousy and desire. These mutters followed her wherever she went. She reveled in it. _

_Elegantly, she sauntered into the room. Humans quickly parted for her. Her dress was exquisite and made her look even more magnificent than she usually was. She had been eyeing it for weeks from a shop window in the village. He had bought it for her as a present to mark her human birthday. Nik knew she hated to celebrate it but he could not help himself. The need to give her things and please her overwhelmed him whenever he was with her. _

_She circled the sea of dancers patiently, a predatory look deep in her emerald eyes. Nik's tongue ran over his sharp teeth and he mimicked her actions, eyes always fixed on her. _

_She was searching for a victim. Nik could feel the hunger radiating off of her. None of them had hunted in a while, though Nik had ripped the throat out of a whore the other night. She hated left-overs. Plus where was the thrill of the chase? The triumph of the catch? The euphoria of the kill?_

'_Brother.'_

_Nik tore his eyes away from his mate and turned to his right where Rebekah was walking towards him. She had a brilliant smile on her face. That could only mean trouble. _

'_And what has made you so happy on this most depressing of evenings, baby sister?' Nik enquired, turning away, eyes searching out for her again across the room. She was gone. Smirking, he turned back to his sister and raised his eyebrows in question. _

'_Remember Lord Trevor, brother, that ridiculous boy who kept following me around? You will not believe who he was brought with him this evening.' Rebekah crowed. _

_Nik sighed heavily and turned away properly. 'I don't know and I don't bloody care. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find Caroline and fuck her.' He took a step away from his sister. A hand flung out and gripped his forearm. Turning back quickly, he allowed his anger and annoyance to seep into his expression. 'Rebekah-'_

'_Hush.' Rebekah interrupted him. 'Believe me brother; you will care an awful lot once you see her. You can go hump Caroline's leg afterwards.' She gave his arm an insistent tug._

_Growling and huffing, Nik gave in and followed her through the crowd who quickly parted in subconscious fear. They didn't know why they were afraid; instinct just told them to step away. _

_Rebekah suddenly came to an abrupt halt and Nik nearly walked straight into her. Vampire reflexes were a real blessing sometimes. _

'_Nik, I'd like you to meet Elijah's new friend.' Rebekah smirked. _

_Nik's eyes flickered from his sister's triumphant face, to his older brother's shocked expression, to the young woman standing beside him. He froze. _

_There, standing before him was the exact reincarnation of Tatia, the whore wench from his human village. The bitch their __**wonderful **__Mother slaughtered in order to complete their transformation, and also the blood used to create his curse. She was standing right there in front of Nik, a look of pure innocence on her fickle face. _

_These thoughts streaked through Nik's mind in less than a second and his frozen expression was hidden by a cocky smirk before the human could even notice. 'Milady. I am Lord Niklaus.' _

_She offered a trembling hand shyly and Nik took it. He brushed his lips against the back of her hand and her all-to-familiar scent erupted around him. It took all Nik had not to gag. _

'_A pleasure to meet you, Milord. I am Katerina Petrova.' Even the bitch's voice was the same. _

'_The pleasures all mine.' Nik gave her a winning smile. 'I hope you have a wonderful evening here in our home.' _

_A pleased blush colored her cheeks and she awarded him a small, sweet smile. _

'_I will leave you in my brother's more than capable hands as my attention is needed elsewhere, I'm afraid.' He gave a small, quick bow then turned abruptly and walked back through the crowd of pathetic humans. Excitement rushed through him like blood. She was here. It was time. After centuries of waiting, Nik finally had the last piece of the ritual. _

Nik lay sprawled on the sofa, an arm behind his head, eyes closed. He was lost in his first memory of the Patrova wench. He could still remember the excitement he had felt that night so long ago.

Of course _that _didn't turn out quite right.

No matter. The bitch had a child who grew and carried the blood line on. All was not lost and now he was going to try again and succeed. Part one of the plans, to take over Alaric's body and watch over the doppelganger and her little protection detail, was almost complete. Maddox would be arriving with the body at any moment. He would put Nik inside the teacher's body for a couple of days, allowing him to study the doppelganger without fear of detection. It was a simple and beautiful little plan, one of his best, if he did say so himself.

Before he could get into the raunchier side of the memory, the door burst open and the teacher's body was flung inside unceremoniously. Nik stood gracefully. 'Careful there, Maddox.'

Maddox merely smirked. He then grabbed a wooden chair and proceeded to tie the unconscious teacher to it.

'Where's Greta?' Nik enquired.

'Bringing Katerina. Isobel told her the truth so I had to..._subdue _her.' Maddox turned away from Alaric, now tied to the chair by both of his arms.

Nik nodded. 'And Isobel?'

'Took her ring off and burned herself to a crisp before I could get to her. She did it in front of her daughter.'

Nik nodded again and turned towards the door. Greta came in, dragging an unconscious Katerina by her ankle.

Nik smiled malevolently. 'Oh, Katerina.'

_Nik hurried down the empty hallway, getting as far away from the party and the people as he could. He took a deep breath. Caroline's succulent scent filled his senses and he followed it, quickening his pace. He darted down each dimply lit corridor lined with portraits, many of which he could take credit for, until he was stood in front of their bedroom. He stopped outside the door. A masculine groan met his ears and another scent that he hadn't noticed before mingled with Caroline's. God, he didn't need this right now. _

_He banged the door open and strode through. His mate was sat naked on an equally nude human male, humping him slowly. The male hadn't appeared to have noticed the loud entry. However, Caroline did. She did not halt her movements; she merely turned her head and looked at Nik. Taking in his elated expression, she smiled. 'What has you so excited, my love?'_

'_Elijah appears to have made a new friend.' Nik muttered, eyes fixed on his mate's sultry body. _

_Caroline suddenly looked bored and turned away. 'And? He makes friends all the time.' She placed her hands on the human's chest, leaned down slightly and began to hump harder, her soft blonde curls falling around the human's body. His moans heightened in volume. He still had not noticed the conversation. _

_Nik growled at the erotic sight before him. 'She happens to be the latest in the Petrova line, Tatia's line.' _

_Caroline still did not care._

_Nik took a hard step forward, not that Caroline could see. 'She also happens to be a doppelganger.' _

_At this, Caroline halted her movements completely and turned her head and upper body back to her mate. 'Doppelganger?' Her eyes held curiosity and excitement. _

_Nik nodded, eyes now fixed on his mate's full breasts. His tongue darted out and licked his rosy lips. 'She looks exactly like the whore from our village, from her smell down to her voice. It took all I could not to rip the little bitch to pieces.' _

_Caroline rolled her eyes. 'Well thank goodness you didn't! You have the moonstone, a werewolf, a vampire and now a doppelganger!' _

_Too caught up in her body to notice what she said, Nik took a couple more steps until he was standing right at the foot of the bed. _

_Caroline growled. 'Nik! Head out of the gutter for one moment, please.'_

_Finally taking notice of her voice, his mouth split into a wide smile, showing sharp teeth. 'Caroline merely rolled her eyes again and turned back to her food. He had finally noticed the on-going conversation between the couple and was looking frightfully confused. Caroline placed her soft hands back on to his chest and grinned. 'Sorry, honey. Funs over.' _

_Nik watched as she struck like a snake, latching onto his neck with razor sharp teeth. The human gave an all mighty scream of agony. _

Caroline strutted the bustling streets of New York feeling both on top of the world and completely torn in half. Nik had left all of his credit cards with her bar one in order to keep her entertained for the one week they would be parted. Once he was back inside his own body Caroline would be joining him in Mystic Falls to be with him as he completed the ritual. It meant so much to him; she had to be there. Plus the hybrid sex would be fucking amazing!

Turning onto 59th Street Caroline caught sight of her favorite shop in New York; Bloomingdales. Contentment filled her for a while as she strolled the familiar aisles, helping her forget the crippling loneliness and pain of being separated from her mate.

There, Caroline purchased some lingerie that she knew Nik would appreciate along with some beautiful dresses, pants, tops, jackets, shoes and accessories. Hey, it was Nik's stupid mistake to leave her with the credit cards.

Caroline smirked as the she studied the oiled, curvy body twist and shake in front of her.

She sat in her and Nik's studio apartment on a designer sofa sipping fresh blood. They actually had it on tap! Nik just loved to spoil her.

The colors of this particular apartment of theirs were all black and white. The two women were situated in the living room. The room included a large white sofa in front of a black coffee table and flat screen TV. The white walls held extravagant paintings Nik had created over the years. A bar sat on the right side of the room with built in fridges. A floor to ceiling window was the left wall and ran from one side of the room to the other, giving Caroline a wondrous view of New York.

She wasn't looking at the view though. Instead she was looking at the compelled woman as she danced for her, slowly stripping in the process. Caroline licked her lips as the woman's glistening pussy came into view. This was obviously turning her on just as much as Caroline.

Caroline beckoned her forward coyly. The woman sauntered over and straddled Caroline's lap, now completely naked. She leant down and licked from Caroline's shoulder all the way up to her jaw, leaving a wet, tingling path. Caroline moaned softly as the woman nibbled along her jaw, her hands slipping under her top towards Caroline's full breasts. Her smooth fingers danced around Caroline's pebbled nipples, creating goose bumps along her skin.

Caroline sighed and let her head fall back against the sofa, sipping her blood. Along with shopping, sex was one of the best distractions when she was separated from her mate.

The woman grabbed Caroline's collar and tore down the middle. Ooh, she liked it rough. Caroline smirked. She snapped her hand up and got the woman by the throat, flinging her down onto the sofa single-handedly. There she was in all her naked, oily glory, sprawled out on the designer sofa. The woman moaned and tried to pull her forward. Caroline merely smirked. She raised her glass of blood and proceeded to pour it along the woman's body, soaking her. Caroline moaned blissfully. It truly was a delicious sight.

Slipping in between the woman's legs, Caroline leant down and licked from the woman's clit all the way up to her neck. She gave a delectable mewl and arched her back in pleasure. Caroline traced her lips down the woman's chest and came to her breasts. They were much smaller than Caroline's but were still a nice full size. Caroline sucked the left one into her mouth, licking up as much of the blood as possible. She let the breast go and began to trail down her toned stomach, licking up the blood as she went. She was just reaching the woman's glistening pussy when-

_I'm bringin sexy back_

_Them other boys don't know how to act_

_I think it's special what's behind your back_

_So turn around and I'll pick up the slack_

_(Take 'em to the bridge)_

Caroline huffed and sat up. She slipped her hands into the pocket of her jeans and brought out her phone. Without looking at the I.D she accepted the call. 'This had better be good.'

'_Ooh, feeling feisty, baby?'_ A husky voice sounded from the phone.

Caroline frowned. 'Who the fuck is this?'

The man chuckled. _'You, my darling, are talking to Alaric Saltzman, History teacher at Mystic Falls High.'_

Caroline sighed, a small smile gracing her lips. 'You know I didn't want to talk to you until you were back in your body.'

'_I know, my love, I know. I just couldn't resist hearing your voice one last time. I won't be seeing you for a whole week!' _

Caroline sighed again and closed her eyes. 'I know. I really miss you.'

'_I miss you too. Dare I ask what you were doing when I interrupted you?'_

Caroline stared down at the puzzled woman under her and smiled devilishly at her. 'Oh nothing really. I'm just licking warm blood off a _beautiful _nakedwoman as she writhes underneath me.'

There was a growl down the line. It held no promise of power and violence that Nik's growl usually did.

'_Oh you naughty girl. You know I'm a teacher and I could have you punished!'_

Caroline snorted. 'Not from the other side of the country you can't and I am **not **having phone sex with you, darling!'

'_Oh come on, love. Please? It'll relieve all that thick, sexual tension for our week apart.'_ His voice was husky though it did not bring forth any sensual emotions from Caroline. The voice itself was just too different; too wrong.

Caroline rolled her eyes. 'Not going to work. You know I love you but hearing that voice is just freaky.'

'_I know, I know. I love you too. I miss you.'_

Caroline smiled. 'I miss you too, baby. So, everything's going to plan?'

'_Yes, it's all running smoothly. I may even be out of this body before the week is up. If that does happen, you promise me you'll come running?'_

'Of course I will, straight away. Now I'm going to go. My dinner's getting bored.'

Down the line, Nik/Alaric chuckled. _'Okay baby. I love you.'_

'I love you too. Bye.'

'_Bye.'_

Caroline pulled the phone from her ear and put it in her pocket. She felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes.

'Oh, poor baby.' Her dinner crooned from beneath her.

Caroline smirked.

'Let me take care of you.' The human whispered. **Boy **did she take care of her.

Nik pulled the phone from his ear and tossed it onto the coffee table. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes, unfamiliar in this new body.

_We'll be together soon love, soon. _


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, sorry it's a bit short :( I just want to see what you lovely people think! Please review, I've found them really helpful and I'm kinda lost without them ;)

I own nothing (I still wish I owned Joseph Morgan)

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Caroline sauntered off the private jet, oozing confidence and supremacy. The airport staff treated her like royalty. An attendant wheeled her bags through customs, jogging to keep up with Caroline's long strides. She was eager to get out of the busy airport and away from the screaming humans. Where ever they were they always appeared to be making noise. It was bloody maddening sometimes.

Caroline knew it was too early. Caroline knew she wasn't going to like what she saw when she arrived at the teacher's apartment. However, she just couldn't wait any longer. She had to be with him. Even if it wasn't actually _him_. Being in his presence would be enough to quell the ache she was feeling. Having not told Nik she was coming, she didn't expect a car to be waiting or Maddox or Greta to come help her. It didn't matter. She wasn't exactly incompetent. Over a thousand years on this planet had taught her how to look after herself. Though she knew Nik loved to do it for her.

The attendant hailed a taxi and unloaded her belongings into the boot. Caroline tipped him generously and gave him a small smile before setting off. Hey, she could be nice when she wanted.

It would be a long drive from the airport to Mystic Falls so Caroline settled back with her iPod in hand. Music was her passion as art was Nik's. She could play an array of instruments and had a delightful voice that Nik loved to hear. Caroline scrolled through her music until she found one of her favorite songs: Stranger in Paradise by Tony Bennett and Andrea Bocelli. Their voices together created a beautiful melody that Caroline instantly fell in love with.

_Caroline sauntered down the marble staircase wearing a tight, black, knee-length dress. Nik had left a message on her pillow before leaving to do various errands that morning; _

_**Dining Room **_

_**7 o clock **_

_**Wear something stunning**__._

_A small smile graced her lips. Nik loved to surprise her._

_As she entered the dining room a gasp escaped her. Every surface was adorned with candles with white water lilies scattered around them, which created a beautiful, almost angelic glow. Caroline's eyes eagerly drank in the amazing sight. In the center of the room sat a small table set with two plates of food, a bottle of wine, two glasses and a small, oblong box. Situated on either side of the table were two chairs and in one chair sat Nik. He had a gorgeous smile on his face which Caroline couldn't help but reciprocate. He looked as handsome as always dressed in a smart suite and tie._

_He stood and made his way towards her slowly. Nik's firm hands slipped onto Caroline's waist and their foreheads touched gently. _

'_Thank-you.' Caroline whispered before brushing their lips together lightly. His lips were plump and soft, one of his best features. He ran them up her cheek, over her closed eye to her forehead where he placed a sweet kiss. _

'_You're welcome, love.' Taking her hand, Nik led her to the table where they proceeded with their meal. Throughout they spoke of sweet nothings, simply basking in each other's company. _

_Once the food and wine were finished, Nik picked up the oblong box and presented it to Caroline. _

'_What's the occasion?' Caroline asked as she took the box. _

'_I love you.' He said simply. Caroline smiled widely and wonderfully then turned her attention to her present. Inside laid a bracelet. It was in the shape of leaves and flowers studded with little diamonds. It was astonishing. _

'_Oh Nik, it's beautiful.' Caroline whispered as she took it from the box delicately and slipped it onto her wrist. After over a thousand years together it would seem impossible to buy something original for the one you love. Nik appeared to do it without a struggle. _

_Caroline looked up. Nik was no longer there. She frowned and eyes sought him out on reflex. He was stood by the stereo sat against the wall. Giving her that same gorgeous smile, he pressed a button on the stereo and a song started up. Caroline sighed in pure happiness. 'Stranger in Paradise' by Tony Bennett and Andrea Bocelli. _

_Nik walked back over to her and offered his hand. 'Would you care to dance milady?' _

_Caroline grinned. 'Why of course, milord.' Placing her hand in his, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. Caroline wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders as his encircled her waist. Their chests pressed close together, they began to sway to the music as it filled the glowing room. _

_Take my hand_

_I'm a stranger in paradise_

_All lost in a wonderland_

_A stranger in paradise_

_If I stand starry-eyed_

_That's a danger in paradise_

_For mortals who stand beside an angel like you_

_I saw your face and I ascended_

_Out of the commonplace into the rare somewhere_

_In space I hang suspended_

_Until I know there's a chance that you care_

Won't you answer this fervent prayer

Of a stranger in paradise

Don't send me in dark despair

From all that I hunger for

But open your angel's arms

To this stranger in paradise

And tell him that he need be

A stranger no more

Caroline let the lyrics and the memory wash over her as the taxi sped along the high way.

Life was good! Alaric/Nik strolled into the teacher's bleak apartment, feeling on top of the world. The Bennett witch was dead; he had the moonstone _and _Katerina in his grasp. The excitement he had felt the first time he had seen Katerina came rushing back to him in thick waves. This time he would not fail.

From her place on the couch, Katerina gave him a full-on loathing look. High as a kite, all Alaric/Nik could do was grin. 'Now, now love. There's no need to seem so bitter.' His tone was soft and mocking despite the wretched American swill. An English accent in this body sounded down right ridiculous so Nik had to come to terms with losing his voice. Making that phone call to Caroline three days before had been a risk, what with the voice, but he just had to hear her once more even if it displeasured her. Catching her in the middle of fornication with a 'beautiful woman' had had him almost running to New York in that moment just to tear that woman to pieces and claim Caroline for himself once more. Though that would make him severely hypocritical. He had torn his way through seven whores while living here; still the possessiveness ran deep in his veins and it always would.

In front of him, Katerina rolled her brown eyes. 'Still going along with your 'Diabolical Plan-Mark 2' it seems?'

Alaric/Nik chuckled. 'Of course, Katerina. There is no saintly savior to rescue the damsel this time.' His sentence ended somewhat sharply as he recalled his so-called brother who had betrayed him for a wanton whore.

'Oh?' Her voice held innocent fascination. 'And what of the _Salvatore _brothers, who guard the doppelganger day and night, just waiting for a chance at your human throat?'

Alaric/Nik nodded in understanding as he strolled over to the mini-fridge. Not wanting to attract attention, he had had to make do with blood bags until he was safely back in his own body, where compulsion was once again available. He mulled over Katerina's statement as he ripped open a bag of AB-. From her designated place on the couch, Katerina watched enviously. Perhaps hoping to escape while he was in the teacher's useless body, Nik had made sure to thoroughly compel and trap her in the apartment.

Eventually, he answered. 'I don't know what it is about you Petrova girls. You seem to have a knack for brotherly bonds and weak hearts; you call to them like a _siren_. You render them helpless. I don't see the sexual appeal myself.' Alaric/Nik studied her carefully. He truly didn't. Then again he had a type. Tall, gorgeous, sexy, angelic blondes with stunning blue eyes, soft, supple skin and an arse to fucking _die _for. The Petrova girls had never possessed these qualities. What his big brother saw in them he would never know.

The brunette merely ignored him and turned her head away. She knew the Salvatore's had no hope of defeating him. Didn't mean she couldn't hope and pray and deliver snippy sarcastic comments.

A knock sounded at the door and Maddox strolled in. 'Ready boss?'

Alaric/Nik nodded. 'Ready.'

It was a bleak building. The walls were cracked and peeling; the roof tiles were considerably lacking in numbers; many windows scattered along on the front of the building were cracked. A surge of sympathy racked through Caroline as she studied the apartment complex. How Nik could survive in such conditions she had no idea. Then again, their homes way back when were no better. Standing on the pavement, Caroline turned her head left and right, watching the small town go about its business. _How the world has changed_.

She could barely imagine her first home now, it'd been so long. Sometimes, at night after she and Nik were fast asleep, she got shy glimpses of great wooden houses scattered around a large meadow circled by a deep forest. That was home. One thousand years was a long time, Caroline understood that, but that one wooden house with its open fireplace, straw mattresses and beautiful embroidery would always be her true home, her _real _home.

Caroline shook her head furiously. No need to dwell on the past when Nik needed her now in the present. Dwelling on times gone by brought you nothing but pain, a near millennium of running for the man she loved had taught her that. Head held high, she grabbed her bag and sauntered up the concrete steps to the double doors.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys :D Hope you enjoy the update. Warning: this chapter is a little bit gory so pass on if you don't likey!

Please please please review! I really need feedback :) Thank you x

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The woman's breathing was harsh as she crouched in the large closet. Coats hung around her in unruly shapes; in the almost complete darkness they could have been anything. The long arms appeared to reach out to her, ready to throw her out of the closet and into the hell surrounding her. She closed her eyes a moment and attempted to control her erratic breathing. It would do no good to make loud noises now. Her breaths a little quieter, she scrunched her eyes and clenched her teeth while listening hard for any signs of life from outside her hiding place. Nothing. Silence.

Moving slowly and carefully, she nudged the closet door open a crack and peered through. Her living room, a room she was once so proud of, lay before her in ruins. The sofas and chairs were brutally ripped apart and scattered across the floor, accompanied by smashed vases and torn up pictures. The diamond chandelier that once hung magnificently about the room was in millions of pieces, reflecting the moon light that shone through the tattered curtains. The only thing intact was the closet in which the woman hid in. Her eyes studied the walls and she let out a small choke. She stared in horror at the sticky blood spatters that adorned the walls and parts of the ceiling. A large, dark puddle sat in the middle of the room amidst the wreckage, soaking the carpet in its thick sludge. The woman's hand flew up to her mouth and she bit her knuckle savagely so as not to utter a sound. A severed hand sat in the middle of the puddle. The fingers were chewed, the skin was damaged and torn, and the stump at the end which was supposed to lead to an arm was ragged and terribly bloody. Bone pocked out of the end, broken and crunched with inhuman strength. Despair and fear clenched the woman's heart in an icy grip as tears pricked her eyes. She could taste blood in her mouth. She lowered her hand.

Clenching her teeth, the woman slowly pushed the door open the rest of the way. The wrecked room appeared to be empty aside from her and the severed hand. Her breaths came harshly through her mouth as to avoid the sharp, putrid scent of death and blood. Cautiously, she reached a hand out and laid it on the floorboard. The woman held her breath. Her heart thumped loudly in her ears and made her body throb with pulsing anxiety. After a moment, when nothing reacted to the hand, she slid her other one out onto the floor. Once again there was nothing. Her confidence growing, she began to gently crawl out of her hidey hole, first her arms, then her body, and lastly her legs and feet. Her shaking body laid low on the floor as she began to crawl, as if to not attract unwanted attention.

Glass and diamond cut through her palms so suddenly the woman could not withhold a gasp of pain. She froze. The house froze with her. The whole _world _appeared to have stopped turning in that one moment, as the woman sat crouched in blood, straining to hear signs of life in her destroyed house. The house remained silent. Biting her lower lip hard, the woman got to her shaking feet. They were so pumped fool of adrenaline she worried they would not support her. They did. And she carried on.

Trying not to slip on the blood puddle or trip of the wreckage, the woman stumbled towards the door. She was slightly more careless about noise. So caught up in her own panic and fear, the woman could almost convince herself that there was nothing else in the house with her and that she was there alone. With the hand. And the blood.

She reached the door, which was also covered in dark blood. A sick feeling which the woman had been holding off all this time suddenly became too powerful to stop. She turned blindly and retched against the bloody wall, using one pale hand to steady herself while the other clutched her churning stomach. The small dinner she had eaten earlier that evening with her husband now coated the floor, mingling with the blood stains. She heaved over and over until her stomach was empty and she was just retching stomach acid. The sick feeling subsided to a dull ache in the back of her throat and stomach. Suddenly filled with immense tiredness, she rested her forehead against the wall and let out a sob of defeat. She couldn't do this. She couldn't look. She knew what she'd find. Maybe, the woman thought, if I just stay down here, it'll all go away.

'_Hee, hee, hee.'_

The woman slowly looked up at the ceiling. It was laughing. **It was laughing! **That little _bitch _was up there right now…laughing. It was a high pitched, bell-like sort of laugh. A laugh made to bewitch the innocent passerby with innocence and sweetness.

'_Hee, hee, hee.'_

The woman dragged her chipped nails down the wall and clenched her teeth. Her moment of defeat was over and had instead been replaced with a white hot fury. Panting hard, she lunged at the door and flung it open to reveal the empty hallway. There was little damage there. Some cracks in the walls and broken picture frames lay scattered around. That was the extent of it. There was also blood - less so than in the room before - but still a substantial amount. It acted as a sort of trail that led up the wooden stair case. As if something had been dragged up there.

Her determination in no way waning, the woman threw herself at the stairs and took them two at a time. _That little bitch was dead._

The top of the stairs led to a long hallway with bedroom, bathroom and study doors leading off on either side. They were all open aside from one. Though there were no lights, the woman could see the dark pattern of handprints adorning the walls leading to the end of the hallway. The blood trail carried on, following the little handprints.

'_Hee, hee, hee.'_

The laugh was coming from the door at the end of the hallway. It was partially open, letting a crack of light seep through to illuminate the end of the hall. Now that she was closer, the woman could hear the noise that followed the giggle; an odd, wet ripping sound. Her thought flickered back to the hand downstairs and she doubled over again, heaving. The noise stopped. No. It didn't stop – it paused. _And listened_.

A sweet, little voice piped up. 'Sarah?'

Sarah choked against her hand quietly. 'You little bitch.' She sobbed. 'You _bitch_!'

The little voice sounded again. 'Sarah! Come see what I made!' The voice was filled with an innocent pride.

'No!' Sarah cried and fell against the bloody wall, sobbing profusely. 'No, I don't want to.' She curled in on herself and hid her face in her pale, shaking hands. Tears streamed down her face.

'Oh!' The voice cried out in childish disappointment. 'But I want you to see what I made, Sarah! Please?'

Sarah gritted her teeth as her feet acted of their own accord. Unable to stop them, they walked her slowly down the hallway towards the door. _She had to go and see what she made. She __**had**__ to. _It was of the upmost importance that Sarah went and saw because that was what she wanted. The door loomed up in front of her. But Sarah had no time to think about that. She had to go and see. She _had_ to.

Sarah quickly pushed the blood stained door open to reveal the makeshift nursery she and her husband had created. A large cot sat in the corner, decked out with white cotton blankets and two cute polar bear teddies. Sarah remembered picking them out at the store the other month. A dresser sat by the wall, filled with designer dresses and skirts and trousers and tops. She was told not to spare any expense, so she hadn't. Wonderful toys, books and entertainment lay sprawled across the carpeted floor. There was something else on the floor. Slumped by the back wall, lay a body. It was grotesquely twisted. Where there should have been a right hand was a grisly red stump. Covering the low part of the wall were crude, red finger pictures. Pictures made from blood - Sarah's husband's blood. Sat cross-legged in a small puddle of blood was a child. She beamed up a Sarah, a proud bloody smile adorning her small face.

'Look what I made, Sarah.' She chirped happily. She pointed at the pictures on the wall. 'It's you and me, Sarah, you and me.'

Sarah looked. She looked at her husband's body. She looked at the small child. She looked at the blood. So much blood.

_So much blood._

The robotic calm that her overcome her moments before vanished, replaced by a rage that later on she would be unable to recall thoroughly. She lunged at the child with raised hands and struck, a psychotic cry ripped from her lips. Her propelling fists came down – and bounced of the air around the child. The girl stared up at Sarah, a woman who had love and cared for her these past few months, with intrigued innocence as she brought her fists down over and over with enraged cries. Each strike bounced off the air around the child. Sarah did not notice. It didn't matter that she wasn't hitting anything. In the back of her mind she knew it wouldn't have worked anyway. But she was still letting out energy, all her anger and despair.

She wasn't _allowed _to hurt the children. She was told in the beginning that she couldn't hurt them no matter what they did or who they hurt. She was _told_. Sarah couldn't remember who by. She just knew she couldn't hurt them, no matter what they did.

Defeated, Sarah dropped her arms and fell to her knees. Sobs racked through her tired, aching body. It was all too much.

'Sarah?'

She looked up and saw the girl staring at her inquisitively. Her bright blue eyes held a concern too mature for her age, an understanding too deep for someone so young. Sarah met those eyes, holding onto her anger in a firm grip. 'Why?' She whispered.

The girl cocked her head to one said, as if assessing her. 'Why what, Sarah?'

Sarah sobbed and motioned towards her husband's body helplessly. '_Why?_ What did he do to you?' She couldn't look at the body. It was too horrific.

The girl's eyes flickered to the body though, and then back to the broken woman in front of her. She shrugged. 'Nothing.' Came her simple, child-like reply.

Sarah stared at the three year old girl in silence. Then she started to laugh.

_The sun was a warm caress on the back of their necks as they sat in the meadow. Small daises and soft grass grew around them, cushioning their bodies against the hard floor. A dense wall of oaks surrounded their little patch of sunlight, separating them from the village. In the startling blue sky, birds skittered past, off to unknown lands and bugs bustled on their merry way to whatever hole they crawled out of. _

_Lucian watched life go on from the soft comfort of his mother's arms. A slender-fingered, pale hand ran through his shoulder length gold hair, sending nice tingles down his spine. The other hand was curled around him, holding Lucian to his mother in a protective, comforting grip. They sat wrapped in each other's arms, enjoying the silence and tranquility of their meadow. His mother had been taking him here since he was a baby, she told him once - even back to when she was pregnant with him, at the innocent age of fourteen. 'That place is my sanctuary' she told him once as she tucked him into bed 'Whenever I feel scared, or alone, or angry, I simply go there. I breath. I think.' _

_As Lucian had grown it had become his sanctuary as well. He'd put it to more and more use since he found out about the pregnancy. Said baby was now kicking him in the back, interrupting his quiet time with his mother. He stared down at the bump with thinly veiled distaste. 'Why did you have to have another baby?'_

_His mother slowly turned her head away from the forest wall, almost sleepily. Her beautiful blue eyes peeked down at him curiously. 'Hmmm?' Her golden hair fell about her shoulders, tickling Lucian's cheeks. _

'_Another baby.' He repeated, his hand brushing her very prominent bump. Inside, his sibling pushed back. 'Why did you have to have one?' _

_His mother pursed her lips. 'We didn't __**have **__to, my love. We __**wanted **__to.' Her voice was soft and soothing as it always was, but there was a curiosity in there mixed with perhaps a twinge of worry. _

_Lucian huffed. 'But __**why**__ Mama? Am I not enough for you?' _

_His mother's mouth grew wide with a wonderful smile. She laughed. 'You are __**more **__than enough for me, darling.' She swooped down and bumped their noses together lightly. 'I love you Lucian.'_

'_Then why another baby?' He asked. _

'_I love you Lucian.' She repeated. 'I love you so much and I love the feeling of loving you. It fills me with such warmth and happiness and completeness, loving you and your father both. The thought of being able to love another little one in my life fills me with such __**joy**__, Lucian.' Her eyes shined as if the very love she spoke of was a physical thing sat in them right there, bursting to get out and __**show **__him how much she loved him. 'And I promise that when you meet your little brother or sister you will feel exactly the same way, my sweet. You just have to be patient' _

'AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

A sharp, piercing scream ripped Luke from his dream. Sitting up with a jolt, he looked around wildly, fangs slipping from their prison in his gums on trained instinct. _Find the threat. Destroy the target._ His sharp eyes searched every bit of the room. His clothes lay strewn across the floor as they were the previous evening. Books and films and games lay scattered on the various surfaces in the room.

There was no threat.

Groaning, Luke fell back into his pillow. The action of sitting up and looking around had taken less than a second, a human wouldn't have seen it, but with his lack of blood it felt like he'd been up for hours.

'AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

The scream came again, ricocheting through his room. The sound sent a prickling pain through his head. He felt a tad faint and dizzy. Sitting up so fast had _not _been a good idea. Taking a deep breath, Luke sat up slowly and listened. The scream was coming again and again from outside his room. Confusion filled him as he listened to each horror filled yell. _What the hell was going on? _The scream wasn't coming from his sister Emily, he knew that much. It sounded nothing like her plus what is there to make her scream. The humans couldn't hurt her. His parents had made sure of that when they left them here. Luke knew the drill. Every human in the house was compelled to accept their supernatural tendencies and abilities without qualms, they provide for every need he and his sister may have, and they can never say no. It was like living with two slaves.

Two slaves.

_Two slaves!_

_Oh shit. _

The memories of the previous evening came back to Luke in a terrific flood. There weren't two humans any more. There was one. Because he'd torn the other one to pieces.

_Sarah must have found the body._

Sarah's screams were filled with such anger and desperation and horror that Luke almost felt bad for tearing her husband apart. _Almost_. But not quite.

'_Hey sport!' Jeff called cheerily as he strolled into the living room. Luke mentally cringed at the supposedly masculine endearment, meant for young boys who'd had a rough day perhaps and needed a little emotional cheer. Luke didn't need that. He really, __**really **__didn't. Jeff made himself comfortable on the opposite end of the couch, totally oblivious to the seething vampire sat next to him. Luke's hand clenched tightly around the remote as he flicked through the TV's extensive amount of channels. His parents always made sure every house he and Emily stayed in was kitted out with the latest in technology to keep them entertained. Only the best for them. Spare no expense. His bedroom was any teenage boy's wet dream. _

'_What you watching there, kiddo?' _

_Luke cringed again and studiously ignored the beaming human sat beside him. Luke's mum had called from her plane to Virginia saying they would have to stay with the Peterson's a little while longer. 'It's just a couple more days, baby.' She had assured him. 'You father just needs a bit more time to prepare.' Luke had said 'Okay' and 'I love you' and hung up. He didn't feel okay. He wanted out. He couldn't stand another __**moment **__with these humans. Emily was fine. She was just a little one, she adapted to any environment she was placed in as long as Luke was with her and she had regular access to her parent's voices. Out of all the creations he'd seen made, the telephone was one of the most beautiful. _

_Beside him, the human heaved an exasperated sigh and reached for the remote. Luke surrendered it easily, as if the human could stop him if he wanted keep it, Luke thought sullenly. He was acting childish, Luke knew that, but he was angry. And bad things happened when he was angry. Jeff switched the TV off and placed the remote on the oak coffee table in front of them. _

'_Luke.' His voice was hard and heavy, as if it carried some sort of burden. It was his 'lecture' voice. 'If we are gonna make this work, there has to be two things.' He held up two fingers as if to remind Luke how many two was. Luke stared at him, expressionless. 'And these two things are __**trust **__and __**respect**__.' _

_I'm sat here, Luke thought to himself, letting a forty-two year old human lecture me on the pillars of a healthy relationship between an older man and younger boy. He didn't need the lecture. He had a perfectly good relationship with his father, a man who he respected greatly. What had this puny human ever done to earn his respect? Luke suddenly realized Jeff had been talking all this time. _

'_-and I'm sure you want this to work out as much as I do. I…happened to overhear the conversation you had with your Mom earlier on and-' _

_Luke cut him off. 'What?' _

_Jeff stopped short. Well I – I didn't __**mean**__ to hear you kiddo, I just happened to be walking past your room at the time. It was just a little snippet.' _

_Luke gritted his sharp teeth and clenched his fingers into his thighs. The human needed to stop – now. _

_He didn't. _

'_I know it's hard being away from your parents but you – you've just got to be a big boy for them, you know? For you Dad. He would want you to work with me, if not for you and me then for your sister. This can't have been hard for her either so-'_

_Jeff never got to finish that sentence. Luke reached across and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. He leaned in really close so that he could feel the lively breath of the human brushing his cheeks. 'Stop. Talking.' Yanking him by his collar, Luke smashed Jeff's face into the coffee table. A muffled cry fell from the humans lips as his nose hit the table with a sickening crack. Blood squirted left, right and center and dribbled from a cut on his forehead. Finally realizing the situation he was in, Jeff lunged over the table and hit the ground crawling. _

_Luke sat in his place on the sofa, watching the bloody human crawl away sobbing. Well I've started it, he thought, I may as well finish it. His fangs slipping out of place, Luke got up and followed the bloody trail._

Despite the fact that Jeff had bled profusely, Luke never touched the stuff. The temptation was strong and he'd almost caved. However it had been so long since Luke had made a truly good kill – and drinking the blood was just too quick.

Sarah wasn't crying any more, she was laughing.

I'll have to call Mum, Luke thought glumly. She'd be disappointed in him. A thousand years yet he had the emotional control of the ten year old body he was frozen in.

His father would have to make his final preparations with them around after all. Luke knew this father would be thoroughly disappointed in him too. In their last conversation together his father had specifically said it was too dangerous for them to be around. 'You two are my life' he's said, looking his son straight in the eye, hands on his shoulders 'If anything happened to you, I could never forgive myself.' They'd embraced then he'd driven off with Luke's mother. The two children had sat on the porch steps, the humans standing behind them, watching the car purr down the street.

The patter of little feet suddenly sounded down the hallway. Turning his head, Luke waited for the door to open. It did with a slight creak and Emily appeared through her older brother's door. Luke's eyes widened slightly. 'What happened to _you_?'

The blue of her nightie contrasted sharply with the deep red of blood that adorned her bare knees, hands, arms and mouth. It was also matted in her hair. Luke sighed. Mother always told her to be careful while she ate; getting blood out of hair, especially hair as thick as Emily's was a nightmare. _Looks like she got to the body before Sarah did_.

Emily placed her thumb in her mouth and shrugged. Smiling fondly, Luke held his arms out. Grinning around her thumb, Emily leapt onto the bed and crawled into her brother's arms. Slowly, Luke turned his head and peeked out of the window by his bed. Sun was just creeping over the horizon. _I'll call them in a few hours_; Luke thought and slipped back into sleep.

Caroline rolled over with a content sight, hooking a leg around Nik's hips and an arm around his stomach. Her head was cushioned against his firm chest and it rose and fell slightly with his steady breath. He was sound asleep; finally back in his own gorgeous body. The human he had inhabited only a few hours ago was passed out, tied to a chair in the living room. The bitch Katerina was asleep on the human's couch. Tipping her head back, Caroline studied her husband's face. His features were delicate mixed with masculine angles, topped with dark lips and starling blue eyes. Asleep was as peaceful as he ever was. It was the only time she could truly look at him. Caroline's fingers itched to trace the lines of his face and trail over his lips. She didn't. She let him sleep on. She knew it wasn't over yet and there was work still to be done in time for the ritual.

Slowly, Caroline turned her head back down and looked out of the window. The morning was complete, the sun was high and the day was warm. Despite the impending problems to face with the day, Caroline allowed herself a small smile. They had done it. Hundreds of years preparing and the moment was finally here. After everything Nik has gone through her deserves-

_I'm bringin sexy back_

_Them other boys don't know how to act_

_I think it's special what's behind your back_

_So turn around and I'll pick up the slack_

_(Take 'em to the bridge)_

Nik groaned and turned away from the offensive noise, throwing an arm over his face. Rolling away from her husband's warm body, Caroline laughed. 'Sorry, baby, sorry.' She reached over to the bedside table and grasped her phone. She took a peek at the caller idea and sat up quickly. She answered the phone and placed it to her ear while Nik watched her curiously.

'Luke?' Caroline's voice was sharp and urgent. 'Baby, what's wrong?'

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Lemmie know what you think :D


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